Anthony Small, Former Boxing Champion, Accused Of Trying To Join ISIS

Photo © John Gichigi/Getty Images.

Anthony Small, a former British boxing champion, was arrested last year for attempting to join the terror organization ISIS.

Anthony Small Accused of Trying To Join ISIS

Anthony Small’s court proceedings began with the prosecution stating that Small, in association with two other men, attempted to leave Britain for Syria to join the terrorist organization. What sparked Small’s arrest was the capture of Michael Coe and Simon Keeler, two men that were found with false documents in their bags at Dover.

Small allegedly, aided the two men’s attempt to be smuggled out of the country through an illegal immigrant channel – transported in the back of a large truck. On top of this, while he did not receive false documents, it is believed the same individuals that set up Coe and Keeler’s paperwork were also working on ones for Small. The prosecution believes that “they [all] intended to travel to Syria to join and support what is called Islamic State of Iraq and Levant, known as ISIL or ISIS,” according to BBC’s court transcript.

Small is also being charged with publishing and spreading terrorist propaganda online. The posts and speeches in question were articles entitled “Attacks by Muslims, In Perspective,” “Why the Islamic State is rejected” and “Another James Foley beheading.” Foley was the video journalist captured and beheaded by the terrorist organization last summer.

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The former boxer enjoyed some success in the sport, winning both the British Light Middleweight and Commonwealth championships in 2009 by defeating Matthew Hall in the eighth round via TKO. He finished his career with a 23-2 record.

The now 33-year-old converted to Islam around nine years ago and garnered controversy for attending protests in 2010 against the war in Afghanistan. He would later condemn his sport: ‘I cannot be a Muslim and a boxer who makes money from a sport that promotes the evils of alcohol, gambling and free mixing of men and women.”

At the moment, Coe, Keeler and Small maintain their innocence.